Giving his views on KL Rahul's recent performances and batting average, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said that the batter "goes out of form immediately after scoring a ton."
The 30-year-old batter's average of 34.08 after 45 Tests, as well as his consistency, has seen critics questioning his position in the team. "KL Rahul is a curious case because, over the last 5 years, I have found that he scores a hundred and immediately goes out of form.
Have you seen a batter like that? "In South Africa he got a hundred and a fifty and next 5 Test matches for India, he averaged 15. This is a guy who has played 45 Test matches and averages 34," Manjrekar told the broadcaster in the build-up to the second Test match.
Despite a terrible run of form, Rahul has been picked in the Indian XI ahead of Shubman Gill for the second Test against Australia in Delhi. "Shubman Gill is waiting in the wings.
Sure, there is a strong argument to have the class of KL Rahul in the team, but there is also an argument to play somebody who is in form," Manjrekar pondered. "Somebody who has played 45 Tests and still averages 34, that tells you a story," Manjrekar said.